Claudius, 41-54. Denarius (Silver, 10 mm, 3.77 g, 7 h), Lugdunum, 41-42. TI CLAVD•CAESAR•AVG•P•M•TR•P• Head of Claudius to right, wearing oak wreath. Rev. PRAETOR RECEPT Claudius, bare-headed and togate, standing right, clasping right hands with a Praetorian signifer, wearing lion skin and a round shield slung around his neck, standing left, holding signum in his left hand. BMC 9. CBN 26. Cohen 78. RIC 12. SF-8C645E-277 (this coin). Very rare and exceptionally well preserved for this difficult issue, with a beautiful portrait and excellent reverse details. Tiny marks and with a small scratch on the obverse and light deposits on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.

Helmingham Hall is a picturesque manor house with a moat, dating back to the 16th century. Not far from the Tudor-style house, an almost 2,000-year-old secret was uncovered by George Ridway in September 2019. The hoard that came to light included 724 Roman silver denarii, 19 gold staters, and 4 quarter staters of Cunobelin. This is the largest known mixed hoard of British Iron Age and Roman coins ever discovered in Britain. The latest coins in the hoard were minted in 46-47 AD, providing a terminus post quem within the reign of Emperor Claudius, just a few years after the Roman conquest of Britain. At that time, Helmingham was situated in the midst of these dramatic events, located just 43 kilometers north of Camulodunum, a significant early Roman settlement. Veterans of Legio XX Valeria Victrix, which arrived in Britain in 43 AD and played a pivotal role in the conquest, settled in Camulodunum before 49 AD. While we will never fully uncover the original owner’s precise connection to the conquest of Britain, it is highly likely that the Helmingham Hoard should be understood within this historical context. This denarius of Claudius, minted between 44 and 45, stands out as one of the final coins added to the hoard before its burial in 46-47. Consequently, it exhibits only minimal signs of circulation, a striking contrast to the typically well-worn Claudian silver coinage, making it a particularly appealing example.